A Light Tale: A Retelling of MÄR
by blackwing22
Summary: A retelling of the anime, with the addition of a new team member! Full summary inside
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Alright guys, here's what I've got for you: A re-telling of the MÄR anime, with the addition of my OC. Heavily focused on my OC, with slight AlvissXOC, but nothing super romance-y. There's going to be some changes to other characters and the MÄR universe but nothing too major, although it will be more violent than the regular show and there will be some swearing, so M rating for violence and language. Please rate and review honestly, if you catch a mistake somewhere, let me know! If you like the story tell me, if you hate it tell me what I can do better.

Hopefully I'll be able to update as soon as possible, but I'm not always the best at that…

 _Italicized words are thoughts, dreams, or flashbacks_

**** means time skip

Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1

 _The fire burns everything in sight, and the ground is littered with bodies. My comrades, lying there, dead and dying. And it's all because of me._

 _I did this._

 _I clutch my stomach with my small hands and wince as I run, trying desperately to slow the blood pouring from the slice across my abdomen. I run through the trees, dread seeping into me. I can't see him through the fighting and carnage, and I start to worry I'll see his face in the next pile of corpses. I turn the corner and burst through the treeline, and I see him._

 _Tears run down his cheeks as he shakes one of the bodies._

 _"_ _Wake up! Please, don't die! Wake- "he stops yelling when his blue eyes catch mine. My knees buckle beneath me and the world spins. A deep chill runs through me and I look down. Blood soaks through my shirt and now drips onto the ground, making small red splotches in the dirt. I look back at the boy across from me._

 _"_ _Pl… please… hel… help…" My voice fails me when I see his face contort in anger and hatred. He stands and clenches his fists._

 _"_ _You did this. They're dead because of you." Tears start falling from my eyes as I realize what's happening._

 _"…_ _No… don… don't leave… me…" I stutter as he turns and starts walking away. My eyelids start drooping and black spots cloud my vision. The boy stops walking and turns his head toward me, filling me with hope for one fleeting moment._

 _"_ _You did this."_

 _And then I'm alone._

 _You did this._

I did this.

Sweat covers me when I jolt upright. At first I can't remember where I am and, panicking, I grab at the ground looking for anything I could use as a weapon. After a few confusing seconds, I notice my surroundings. Sighing, I stand and survey my campsite, cursing my still pounding heart. After making sure everything is still as I left it, I grab my things and make my way toward the river. I fill my canteen and splash water on my face, still trying to calm my mind from the nightmare. When I'm done, I reach into my bag for some breakfast, but I come up short. Scowling, I glance back down at the water.

It's calm now, and in it I can see my familiar blood red eyes looking back at me. I'm a little worse for wear, a couple scratches here, some cuts there. There's a small bandage stuck to my right cheek, and above it is a line of scar tissue making a slight divot in my skin. My bright blond hair falls sloppily around my shoulders, the blonde darkening to orange, then red at the tips.

Despite everything, it's still me. Hungry and tired, but still me.

I know it's me, but I still don't know who I am.

I let out a dry, humorless laugh at the irony.

Pulling my cloak onto my back, my shoulders now adorned with the clawed paws of a defeated beast, I stand. I slide my bag onto my right shoulder and attach a small bag to my left hip. After making sure my hood covers my face, I head off into the morning sun, hoping my target's trail is still fresh.

It's dark when I finally catch up to the werewolf brothers. Their trail has lead me to a small farm in a seemingly uninhabited area of Pazurika island. If not for the small rugged path leading to the house, I might've walked right past it. As I get closer to the house, I sense something that stops me in my tracks. I can sense both werewolves, a human with no magical power, and two humans with little to no magic who I assume are children. What takes me aback is a sixth presence, it's neither werewolf nor human, and it seems oddly… familiar.

I slink back into the tree line as I approach, warry of this new, unknown thing. As I close in I notice one of the young humans feels different. They don't have much magic to sense, but from what I can tell they aren't your average child. I'm close enough now to hear the sounds of a fight, and I peak around the house to see my targets fighting some kids, one with short spiky black hair, and dressed in a green shirt and brown pants. The boy is fending off the wolves with a silver shovel, and from what I can tell it's an Ärm. The other boy looks to be around the same age, with long spiky blond hair pulled back into a sloppy ponytail. He's wearing a white shirt and blue pants, he's holding something but his back is to me so I can't make out what it is. I can still sense that strange being beside the blonde kid, but I still can't see it. I slide along the back wall of the farmhouse, trying to get close without being spotted but just in case I activate my weapon Ärm. I cringe a little and hope no one sees the slight glow which changes my bracelet into a sword. After the glow dies, I am left holding my silver weapon my hand fitting the hilt perfectly. When I peak around the corner of the house, the two boys are holding their ground against the wolves, but it looks like this battle could last a while, I debated waiting it out but decided these werewolves have avoided me long enough. Readjusting my hood, I stride out from behind me hiding spot.

"Don't you two owe me some information?" I say positioning myself in front of the four fighters. The brothers freeze instantly when they see me, while the other boys look on in confusion.

"Well, well, we thought you fell behind back at town." Ruga nervously shifts, refusing to make eye contact with me.

"Yeah, we though we lost yah back there, bud… Looks like you caught up though, huh?" Garu comments, trying to act cool, my eyes locked on his. Garu always seemed like the braver of the two wolf brothers, but now he's having a hard time keeping up his bravado.

"Quit stalling," I snap, pointing my sword at Garu, "I don't have the time for your fooling around." My face is shadowed by my hood, but they can still see my mouth curved down in a scowl.

"Who are you? If you're friends with these guys, Jack and I'll kick your ass!" The blonde kid yells, when I turn to face him with my blade, I could practically see the stars in his eyes. "Woah! Is that a sword!? Is it magic?! Oh, I know! It's one of those Ärm things, right?! That's awesome!" I find myself at a loss for words as the kid comes closer to look at my weapon. The others seem just as shocked at the boy's sudden change in character, one second this kid wants to fight me, the next he's gushing over my Ärm. I take a step back and regain my composure, and point my sword at the kid's throat, making him back off.

"I am not friends with those dogs, but I have a deal with them. I have no quarrel with you, but if you interfere, I won't hesitate to strike you down." I growl, and the blonde's eyes narrow.

"Ginta who is this insolent fool?" At first I think it's the black-haired kid, Jack I presume, talking, but he hasn't moved from his spot, his knees quivering as he grips his shovel tightly to his chest.

"Hey, no need to get upset, buddy," Garu says, pushing past the blonde, Ginta I guess, until he's face to face with me. "We brought you where you wanted to go, so we kept up our end of the deal." My eyes narrow in confusion.

"What are you talking about? You said you found good hunting grounds in the area, so if you don't want me to cash in on your bounties you better show me where they are." Both wolves laugh and Jack tightens his grip on his shovel, anger spreading across his face. Ruga motions around him and laughs.

"Look around you! You're standing in the best hunting grounds we've ever found! And little Jackie here makes sure we've got food all year round!" Finally, everything clicks, and I frown with disgust.

"You're telling me, you've been stealing from these poor farmers? You two use your strength to use this boy, just for a couple of vegetables?" I point my sword at them and channel my magic.

"Hey, we had a deal! You leave us alone and we lead you here! So why don't you quiet down and enjoy the feast." Garu growls, bearing his claws at me.

"I don't make deals with mutts like you." I spit as my sword erupts into flames, making the steel glow red with heat. Right before I make my move, Ginta steps in again.

"This is Jack's fight, so back off! I don't know who you are, but Jack can deal with these guys." He yells at me, but I leap at the boy instead, pushing him out of the way of Ragu's claws. The wolf barrels over us, growling when he lands.

"G- Ginta! You- you ok?" Jack yells while I take a stance in front of his friend, ready for the next attack. Just as the wolves launch at me, I'm distracted by what looks to be a moving, talking, mustachioed vegetable.

"You can't just push me servant like that, only I get to bully Ginta!" I barely hear the end of his sentence, when the world spins and I'm thrust into a new nightmare.

 _A town burns around me, and my little heart is pounding so fast I can barely breathe. Beside me stands the blue haired boy, and he holds my hand tightly as he looks on in horror. A man stands in front of us, but I can't make out his features all I can see is him holding a corpse by the neck in one hand, and a hammer in the other. Attached to the hammer is a long chain that ends in a mustachioed ball, stained in blood with a menacing grin stretched across it's face._

My senses return in time to see Garu's claws slam into me. I'm flung through the air with such force it only takes a second for me to slam into the small house by the farm, for a moment pain explodes through me, the next my mind fades into darkness.

Ginta

I watch on as Jack's Mom hugs him, worry etched into her face. I smile sadly as I think of my own Mom, and how she's probably just as worried about me. Babbo taps me lightly on the leg and smiles up at me, I smile back. This was my fist fight in this new world, and not only did we win, but it seems things are just going to get more exciting from here.

"You too Ginta, you could've been hurt!" Jack's Mom is standing now, one hand on her hip and the other firmly gripping Jack's ear. "When I heard that loud noise, I was worried one of you had- "Jack and I look at each other, cutting off his Mom's scolding.

"That person, they hit the side of the house pretty hard…" Jack trails off, worry entering his features. I'm already running to the back of the house, with Babbo not far behind. I round the side of the building, and skid to a stop right in front of the cloaked person, on the ground slouched against the wall, unconscious. Jack runs up behind me and his mother brings up the rear, she gasps when she sees the damage. The wall of the house is cracked and caves in slightly where the cloaked figure hit. The person in question has a hood hiding their face, but I can see a thin trail of blood dripping off their chin. I reach forward and pull back their hood, and everyone is a little shocked at what we see.

A girl. She can't be much older than Jack and I, but she definitely didn't get through the fight as well as us. Blood drips from her nose and mouth, and a line of red streams out of a cut on her forehead, I look at Jack unsure of what to do. He turns to his mother, looking just as confused as me about what to do with the girl.

"I think she tried to help us Ma, she said she didn't want to steal from us." Jack's Mom purses her lips and looks at the girl, thinking about what to do next.

"Well in that case we can't just leave her here, can we? You boys bring her inside so I can patch her up." She starts to make her way back to the house, but stops a few steps away. "Ah what do we have here… Oh! Our new guest will probably want this back when she wakes up." The woman bends down and picks up a silver bracelet, which she carefully puts into one of the pockets on her apron. Jack nods at me so I take up position at the girl's feet, while Jack gingerly grabs her shoulders. We lift on three, and a quiet groan escapes the girl's mouth when her head lolls against Jack's arm. We go as quickly and carefully as we can, and when we get inside, Jack's Mom leads us over to a small couch next to a wooden table covered with some medical supplies.

"Alright boys lay her down right here, gently now. That's it, thank you, Jack why don't you and Ginta get something to eat from the kitchen, it's been a long and eventful night for all of us." Jack nods, and Babbo and I follow him. We all eat our weight in veggies, but it's not enough to distract us from the person unconscious in the next room.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 _Pain. That's the first thing I feel. Everything is still black, but I can hear laughter and activity not far from where I am. I want to go back into the black nothing, there's no pain there, no noise that stabs into my skull with every sound. But I can't go back, so I ready myself and open my eyes._

I groan in pain as I try to sit up, white light stabbing into me when I crack my eyes open. My head is pounding and I'm vaguely aware of the soft warmth of a blanket on top of me. I feel a gentle hand lightly press into my shoulder as I sit up.

"Careful dear, just take it slow." My senses instantly snap back to me, and I quickly pull away from the old woman next to me. I'm in a strangely normal house, complete with hand embroidered 'Welcome' and 'Bless This Home' pillows and family paintings hung on the walls. The old woman looks at me with a kind but worried expression and behind her stands two boys with one of them holding a gentlemanly metal sphere, all three of them looking on with curiosity. I turn my head a little too quickly and wince as the world spins, I shut my eyes tightly and press a hand to my head. I'm shocked to find fresh bandages wrapped around my forehead and covering my right hand and forearm. I start to remember what happened and calm down when I realize where I am, so I clear my throat and look at the woman.

"Thank you for helping me, I hope I didn't cause you any inconvenience." My voice is a little dry and shaky, but I don't think anyone noticed. The woman smiles warmly, and looks back at Jack.

"Well now, can you teach my Jack to be so polite?" Jack Blushes deeply at the comment, and he stares at the ground.

"Come on Ma." He mutters, but his mother pinches his cheek, scolding him, which only makes Ginta and the ball he's holding laugh harder. The blonde then turns to me and smiles.

"We're just glad you're awake, I'm Ginta by the way and this is Babbo." He holds the ball up to me, so I'm looking down the long silver nose above a wide cheerful grin.

"Greetings young lady, I am glad to see you awake and well." He looks back at Ginta and bounces excitedly. "How was that Ginta? Was it gentlemanly?" Freeing himself from his mother's grip, the other boy walks over.

"My name's Jack. Thanks for your help with the wolves." I nod. "What's your name?" I look around a little, put off by the personal question.

"No problem, call me Light." I say and he smiles while nodding, pleased with my response. I swing my legs off the couch, ignoring the throbbing pain in my head, and make to stand. "Thank you again for your hospitality, but where exactly on Pazurika is your farm?" I ask Jack's Mother, but she purses her lips into a thin line.

"Are you leaving already? You were unconscious for a day, so you must be hungry. Plus you have quite the fever." I place a hand on my forehead, feeling nothing out of the ordinary.

"Don't worry about that, I usually run a little warm anyway." I start to make another excuse when she stands suddenly and puts her hands on her hips.

"How about this, stay long enough to eat your fill and when you're done, I think I have a map around here somewhere you can take with you." I sigh when she walks off without waiting for my response.

I ended up spending the night on the little farm, Jack's mother wouldn't have it any other way. As promised I ate my fill, and was given enough to fill my bag. All of us are now standing outside getting ready to leave, I've checked the map and I think I know where to head next. Jack, Ginta and Babbo are also leaving the farm, and I can't help but worry about them a little, I watch as Jack's mother hugs her son and tells Ginta to take care of him. To my surprise she walks over to me next, and places a hand on my shoulder.

"Thank you for stepping in and helping my boy with those wolves." I nod and she reaches into her pocket, pulling out a silver chain which I immediately recognize. "I'm sorry I forgot to give this back to you, but I'm sure your glad to see it again."

"I thought it was gone," I say sliding my Ärm back onto my wrist. "I can't thank you enough for your hospitality, so if there's anything else I can do for you, just ask." She looks at me a little sheepishly.

"There is one thing," I raise an eyebrow, confused at her sudden hesitation. "Have you decided on your next destination?" I shift a little, her shyness rubbing off on me a little.

"Well, uh… I was thinking of heading towards town." She smiles a little at my answer.

"Then, would you travel with Jack and Ginta?" The boys mentioned turn toward her and start questioning her request. I try and think of a reason not to, as I prefer to travel alone, but I did say I'd repay her… "You seem to be familiar with the roads and you travel a lot, so these two would probably be safer with someone like you." The mother explains, and I nod in agreement.

"Alright I'll travel at least as far as the town, but I promise to keep them safe." It seems like a heavy weight has been lifted off her shoulders, and she pushes me toward the boys.

"Well that settles it. I may worry, but now I'm sure you'll be fine." She says to her son, I start walking down the road, Ginta and Babbo following right behind me. Jack hesitates slightly but soon catches up, and I'm left wondering what I've gotten myself into.

It's getting dark now, and I can tell the boys are getting tired. We've walked all day with no breaks, but it seems to have caught up with them.

"Why don't we set up camp here?" I say over my shoulder, and get two nods in response. Jack reaches into his pocket and grabs a handful of seeds, I give him a look.

"What?" He asks while planting them with experienced hands.

"You know we're only spending the night here, right?" he nods.

"We'll have potatoes by morning, you'll see." I'm still skeptical, but I let it go and address Ginta and Babbo.

"Can you two go find some dry wood for a fire? I'll finish setting up here." They seem to like this idea, and Ginta excitedly runs off to explore, almost forgetting his mustached Ärm. I shake my head and chuckle at his enthusiasm. "You'd think he'd never been outside before." I mutter and Jack looks at me.

"Didn't you hear? Ginta came here from another world!" I suddenly feel dizzy, and the world around me fades.

 _The boy is beside me again, but this time there are no tears or blood staining his face. In fact, he seems happy, determined, but happy._

 _"_ _Come on let her join! She's only a year younger than me!" He yells at man with spiky hair, I can't see his features, but somehow, I know he's smiling._

 _"_ _Do you love this world?" he asks, I immediately respond._

 _"_ _Of course! I want to protect this world!" The man's grin grows wider and he places a hand on my shoulder._

 _"_ _Then you're just like me! I want to protect and explore this place. I came here from another world so I want to save this one before I go back to my world!"_

I'm thrust back into the campsite, Jack looking at me with concern.

"Hey, you ok?" I nod and tell him I just got lost in thought, this seems to convince him and he goes back to work. Well that was new, a new memory, and one without death, carnage and those other horrible things. The only thing that seems constant in these flashbacks is that kid with blue hair, I wish I knew who he was, because maybe he knows who I am.

By the time Ginta and Babbo return, Jack and I've finished setting up, the only thing missing is a campfire. I set up the wood in a small tee-pee and fish out a silver chain from my bag. Ginta sees the Ärm and takes immediate interest, eager to see it activated. I hold the pointed end of the chain to the wood, and channel a little of my magic.

"Nature Ärm: Flame Dragon." I say and the wood instantly catches, giving us a nice warm fire.

The four of us situate ourselves around the fire, Jack, Ginta and Babbo start chatting amongst themselves. After a while Ginta turns his questions to me.

"So Light," he starts, mouth full of roasted vegetables, "where are you from? I want to know as much about this world as possible, so tell me what your town is like." Jack and Babbo also seem interested in my past, but they shift uncomfortably when I don't answer.

"It doesn't matter," I gaze into the fire, watching it lick the air, "I'm here now, and that's all that matters." I hug my knees into my chest, and the blonde gives me a disappointed look. Jack and Babbo meanwhile look sympathetic. Ginta look as though he is about to say something, but his Ärm stops him.

"Somethings are better left in the past, and some questions are better left unasked." Ginta starts to apologize, but this time I interrupt him.

"Don't worry about it. I just can't remember my home." I frown at the flames in front of me. The two boys look confused, but Babbo has understanding etched in his metallic features.

"I lost my memory as well, that's why I have these two," he nods back at Ginta and Jack, "if I continue to travel with them, maybe I'll find my memory." His gaze meets mine, but I look away. Instead I look up at the moon, it's directly above us now.

"It's late, I suggest you all get some rest we still have quite a way to go tomorrow." They nod and say goodnight while I get up, find a mostly flat patch of grass, and lay down hoping the nightmares will stay away for one night.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I wake early the next morning, my breath quickened with fear. It was the same nightmare as before, fire and death everywhere, the terror only ending when I'm left alone to die. It's just after sunset by the time I've gotten ready and the boys are still asleep, I also notice, to my surprise, that Jack's plants are fully grown. I debate waking them, but I figure it's still early and they aren't used to travel yet so I decide to let them sleep. I grab a potato and wait for an hour or two before Jack wakes, and in turn, shakes Ginta and Babbo awake. We get back on the road as soon as we can, and after a few hours, we reach Pazu, a small town where Jack usually comes to trade his vegetables. The three boys decide to go look for the Ärm that can take Ginta home, while I tell them I'm going to look for supplies. As soon as they're out of sight, I tug my hood over my face and head into the town.

Pazu is alive with activity and shops, people shouting prices and holding their wares out for all to see. I don't make eye contact with anyone, but no one seems to mind and barter with me just the same. I do see some shadier characters lurking in the back alleys and around the bars and pubs of Pazu. My mind wanders to Ginta, Jack and Babbo, and I can't help but wonder if they're alright. I don't have much coin on me, 100 puter at most, so I mostly just look at the shops. I find a shop that seems well off, intricate tapestries are hung on gold tipped railings, and the customers look like they've got money to burn. I could just sneak in through the back, take some cash and leave…

"Hey is it true? Did Stanley get im'?" The deep voice catches my attention, so I move to a close by stand to listen in on the two men.

"Yeah, can you believe it, 10 million puter! We better hurry though, everyone else is heading over to get their cut." The other man nods and starts to head off with his companion.

"It's so lucky that the ärm's owner is a dumb kid, apparently, he was just walking around with a living Ärm! He didn't even try to hide it!" The two laugh as they head on their way. I hesitate for half a second before everything clicks, a boy with a living Ärm…

"Ginta!" I whisper in realization and immediately start running, I don't know how long ago the bandits attacked, or if Jack and Ginta are even still in Pazu, but I run through the streets anyway, just in case. After a few hours of running, I over hear some people talking about two kids who were robbed in broad daylight, and were heading out to take down the bandits. My heart sinks, it's getting dark now and it sounds like they left to retrieve Babbo quite a while ago. I take off running again, this time headed in the direction the people said the two boys went.

 _Please be ok._

That's the only thought in my head when I sprint past the entrance of Pazu.

It's dark when I finally make it to the spot where I sensed Ginta, Jack and Babbo. I skid to a stop, sword in hand and my breathing quick and ragged, in front of a collapsed Ginta. He's beaten and bruised, but he's alive and Jack is nowhere in sight. I slowly take in my surroundings, there's a caged green bird, that oddly reminds me of Jack. Babbo is beside Ginta, as usual, and is looking up at me with a concerned expression.

"I'm glad you found us, but we have bigger problems." He nods to my right, and I turn to see what he's looking at.

A young man with blue eyes and spiky hair to match, and he's looking at me with the same shocked expression I have on my face.

"You… you're the boy from my dream…"

"Light…? It can't be… But that weapon…," his eyes narrow and he grits his teeth. "You're dead! I saw you die!" I feel my heart stop for a moment. _Dead? But, that's not possible…_ I look around me, as if the trees and grass have the answers I'm looking for.

"Hey, who is this girl Al?" The question comes from a small fairy floating by the boy's shoulder.

"Who are you?" I ask him, but the only response I get is an angry glare.

"13 Totem Pole," he says quietly, never breaking eye contact with me. I can sense something moving below me and I jump out of the way just in time to see massive tower-like objects burst from the ground where I was standing. I coat my sword in fire as I continue to dodge his attacks.

"Please help-" I start, but he cuts me off.

"I'd never help a traitor." He yells, fury burning in his eyes. "You betrayed us, we trusted you!" there's a bright glow, after it fades he's holding a long rod. He rushes me, I block with my sword, sparks exploding off my blade on contact. The fire illuminates our faces for a brief moment, then we both jump back and circle each other, our eyes still locked.

"What did I do?!" I yell, but that only seems to make him madder.

"You set us up, we trusted you, and you led us right to them." He shouts as he runs in for another attack. My vision darkens but only for a moment.

 _"_ _Hey Al, you there? Don't go too far ahead." I giggle while I crawl through a small tunnel._

 _"_ _Shh! Let's see if we can sneak up on Alan! It'll be payback for his last prank." A boy says from in front of me, he turns to face me and that's when I see his bright blue eyes._

I bring my sword up right as he swings, and our weapons collide once more. I back off this time, pushing him away while I jump back. He continues his attack, this time his attacks come faster and more relentless, it takes all my concentration just to dodge. It only takes a few moments, but eventually his attacks start to overwhelm me and I start to feel cuts forming where his totems are nicking me. Finally, his attacks stop, both of us tired, him from using so much magic, and me from running around since I left town. He composes himself quickly, and I can sense he's far from his limit.

"I think it's time for me to finish this," He gives me a menacing look, pure rage written on his face. A totem appears below me, a second too late for me to dodge, and hits me directly in the stomach. It sends me flying quite a distance, but I manage to land on my feet and skid to a stop. Exhausted, I fall to my knees, panting at the physical and magical exertion, every movement a painful reminder of my injuries, new and old. He walks over to me slowly, and I force my eyes to meet his.

"Please, just answer one question." I say weakly, making one last attempt to get some answers. He hits me in the side with his weapon in response, I fall onto my side and try desperately to stay conscious. Every cell in my body focuses on one thing, those angry, blue eyes. Something in them shifts, a brief flicker of something other than rage and anger, confusion floods his expression. But his eyes, they show something else.

Pity. For a brief moment, the boy pities me. It's just a second but it's enough. He lowers his weapon and looks at me, for the first time, he really looks at me. Dark spots dance in my vision, but I force my question out.

"Who am I?" the words are nothing more than a whisper, but I know he hears me. He looks conflicted, as if unsure of the consequences if he answers.

"You were one of us, a member of the Cross Guard… You were my friend." His voice wavers as he speaks, his sadness all too prevalent in his voice. "But you never were my friend, were you? You were a Chess Piece all along," he grits his teeth before continuing, his previous anger returning. "You lead us to that forest, it was all you. They are dead because of you."

The pieces start to fit together in my head, and I slowly realise what he's saying.

 _I lead them to that forest, all those bodies, all my fault. I told them to go there, I told them to go through the forest instead of around it._

 _It really is my fault._

Tears start to well in my eyes as the guilt sinks in. He grips his weapon tighter, his knuckles whitening, but he keeps his weapon lowered. The black spots in my vision grow bigger, and the world fades away as a tear rolls down my cheek.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Jack

I can see everything from inside the bird cage, I watched Ginta get beaten and when Light showed up, she looked so exhausted, she didn't stand a chance. Now nothing stands in the way of this guy from destroying Babbo. To my surprise, everything starts glowing a bright white and when my vision returns, I'm back to my normal self. The boy looks at me from his spot above Light, his weapon no longer activated.

"I'll spare her for now, but I will give you this warning. She is not your friend or your ally. She will use you as long as you are useful, and leave you for dead when she's done." His words are harsh, and each one makes me want to yell at him. What stops me is the look on his face as he tells me his warning, his shoulders are slumped and his eyes look tired. He stands in front of me looking defeated, even though he effortlessly took out both of my companions.

"Earlier, you said you had seen Light die… What happened?" I ask, desperate for answers.

"Years ago, in the last War Games, Light and I were members of the Cross Guard. We were just children, but we both wanted to do all we could to fight the Chess. One day, the Cross Guard decided to move our base of operations closer to some high-risk towns. The original plan was to go around a thick forest that was blocking our path, but Light had convinced us to go through the forest instead, claiming she had overheard some Chess Pieces talking about a plan to ambush us." He sighs before continuing.

"But she was one of them. She led us straight into their trap, and we were unprepared. They lit the forest on fire and killed us as we fled. Many Cross Guard died that night, and in the confusion Light was badly injured. She was bleeding badly from a deep cut across her stomach, and by the time she found me she had little chance to survive. We left her there, she was an enemy and we couldn't risk saving one of them. There was no way she could've survived, she had already lost so much blood and the fire was closing in. I don't know how she's alive, all I know is she should be dead along with everyone else we lost in those trees." As he finishes, I find myself looking at the unconscious girl, and despite everything, doubt starts to fill my mind. The boy tells Babbo he's safe for now but one wrong move and it's over. I'm hardly listening, I'm too busy thinking about everything that's happened since I left home. It's only been a day or two but so much has happened, I never thought I'd ever get involved in something like this. The only thing that snaps me out of my thoughts is the boy addressing me again.

"I'll leave these two to you," he says as he motions to Light and Ginta. "They'll be alright, Ginta's not too injured and I've seen the girl survive worse. What you want to do with her is your choice." His final statement confuses me.

"What do you mean, 'my choice'?"

"I've told you my warning and explained why she can't be trusted, so you have a choice; leave her here and take Ginta or ignore my warning and bring her with you. She's not going to die if you leave her, so don't think you are morally required to save her. I won't fault you for taking her with you either, just know you are risking Ginta's life too." With that he motions to his fairy companion, and leaves. After he's gone, Babbo hops over to me.

"What are you going to do Jack?" He asks, sounding just as confused as I am. When I don't move, he speaks again. "You're not really going to leave her, are you?" I sigh and stand, throwing Ginta over my shoulder.

"Of course not, she's our friend and she came running when we were in trouble." I tell him while walking over to Light. With a grunt, I toss her arm over my shoulder and start to carry her and Ginta out of the clearing.

Light

 _The darkness is back, but there's less pain this time. It's still there but more of a dull ache all over, instead of the sharp, crippling pain before. Carefully, I wake up._

I open my eyes and take in my surroundings, I'm somewhere in a forest, my back propped up against a tree and a blanket draped over me. I can feel bruises on most of my body, and a quick prod of my ribs confirms that I probably cracked one. Bandages cover a few cuts on my arms and face, other than that I'm not too worse for wear. I try to stand and groan with the effort, but moving feels easier once I'm on my feet.

"Hey Light! You're awake!" Ginta yells from a small pond a few meters away.

"Passed out for the second time in a few days… I'm losing my edge…" I mutter as I walk over carefully, not wanting to test my injuries. When I reach the pond, I notice a very tired Jack sprawled out on a rock near the edge of the water with Babbo beside him. Ginta is waist deep in the water, and is panting slightly as well. He has bandages covering his arms, a few on his legs, and one on his cheek. I do spot a slight black tinge on his forehead, indicating a bruise just below the skin.

"What have you three been doing? And how long was I out?" I ask while taking a seat near the water's edge. I cup some water in my hands and gently wash some dirt and blood off myself.

"You were only asleep for a few hours, I only woke up about an hour or two ago. And Jack and I've been training! I want to get stronger so I won't lose any more fights." Ginta tells me as he gets out of the pond and shakes excess water from his hair. He pulls his shirt back on and looks at Jack. "Come on break time's over Jack!" I can't help but chuckle at his enthusiasm, Jack on the other hand seems less excited.

"I'm exhausted Ginta, I'm done training for the day." Ginta's smile falters only for a moment before sprinting off, yelling something about a 5-mile run.

Now that Jack and I are alone, the uncomfortable silence is palpable. I risk a glance at Jack, he is now sitting up and seems deep in thought about something. I don't ask what he's thinking about, but my companions have come to expect my silence. I don't talk much, and they don't pry.

"Hey, Light? Do you know that guy? Ya' know, they guy with the blue hair."

Seems like at least one of my companions wants to pry today. I sprawl out on the grass and turn my head towards the boy. He's still not looking at me, instead favoring scratching something in the dirt with a stick.

"I don't know."

He sighs deeply. Something is definitely bugging him.

"Never mind, I just thought… Never mind." I feel bad for not telling him what little I know, but at the same time, who knows if my memories are even correct.

A loud yell cuts through the trees and makes Jack and I jump to our feet.

"Guys! Come here! I found an unconscious dog!" It sounds like Ginta's screaming at the top of his lungs, so Jack grabs Babbo and we both take off in the direction of the yelling.

I reach Ginta moments ahead of Jack and Babbo, and when we look down at the figure by Ginta's feet… it is in fact a dog. I am quite surprised, even though Ginta had yelled about a dog, I didn't expect a pants clad canine passed out on the ground. It doesn't look injured, although I can spot a pair of thin, round glasses near the canine. I walk over and carefully pick up the frames, and as I study them, the world distorts and bends through the thick glass. From beside me I can hear Babbo making fun of the dog. I hear a grunt, and almost drop the glasses in shock when the dog and Babbo leap back from each other, a sudden electric tension in the air.

"State your name, suspicious dog!" Babbo screams from Ginta's feet, the dog has it's teeth bared, a low growl coming from it. The dog's head keeps swinging from side to side, and it's eyes are squished shut.

"Tell me who you are first!" The dog starts stepping back slightly, and I can see it's hands shaking. I approach slowly, lowering my voice to a gentle whisper.

"It's all right, we didn't mean to startle you." I hold the glasses out in front of me, still a little weary of the animal. "Here these might help you see a little better." I place the spectacles on the dog, while Ginta continues to yell about the dog's ability to speak. The dog blinks a few times, then stares at me, it's mouth hung open.

"Uh… You ok mister dog?" Ginta asks. The dog jumps a bit, as though he forgot the boys were here. He stammers a bit before speaking.

"Yes, sorry, I… Uh… My name is Edward, thank you, for helping me." He bows deeply. I look at Ginta and shrug, I've never seen a talking dog before. I feel something tugging the edge of my cloak and glance down to see Edward. "Please, can you help me? You three seem strong, so please help me." I'm taken aback by this question, but he looks up at me with tears clinging to the corners of his eyes. Ginta responds immediately.

"What's wrong? We'll help in any way we can!" I silently curse Ginta for dragging me into a new mess, but I can't help but feel bad for this little dog.

"It's the princess! She's frozen herself in the castle, and now she's in danger!" Edward's frantic now, panic edges his words and his tears are flowing freely now. I place a hand on his hat covered head and ruffle his fur a bit, he looks at me in response and clutches my cloak a little harder.

"Where is she?" As soon as the words leave my mouth, I feel tiny paws engulf my leg in a tight hug. I pat the dog again and pick him up as he tells us where to go. As we start walking, I feel a small smile creep onto my face. Maybe it's Ginta's enthusiasm, Babbo and Jack's friendly banter, or even knowing that I have a destination, but for the first time in a while, I feel… Content.

"You look a lot nicer when you're not scowling." I look down at the bipedal dog in my arms, a little surprised that he noticed my change in mood. Out of habit, my mouth curves back down at Ed's comment, returning to my usual frown. Ed looks a little downcast at my reaction, so I give him a small smile.

"Sorry, I'm still not used to traveling with people, I'm more of a lone wolf." He nods in understanding, but still gives me a sad smile.

"Well, traveling with others isn't so bad. Plus, when you smile you remind me of the princess." He looks ahead and smiles fondly. "She's always smiling no matter what happens, even when the queen chased her out of the castle, she looked after me and was kind to everyone."

"She sounds awesome." Jack says as he walks up behind me, Ginta and Babbo close behind. Edward nods enthusiastically and jumps out of my arms.

"She's the best! I don't understand why anyone would want to hurt her… it's my job to protect her, but she always ended up protecting me…" he looks at Ginta, determination in his eyes. "But you can help me save her, and then I'll protect her."

"What happened to her? Why is she trapped in a frozen castle?" I ask as we walk, hoping to find out what Ginta's gotten me into. Edward's eyebrows scrunch together in anger.

"Where should I start? So much has happened since the princess' mother died." We all look at the small dog, encouraging him to continue.

"The princess and I are from Lestava, and for a long time everyone was happy. The princess had an older sister too, and they were always together, playing and smiling. The two were inseparable, and loved by the people and even more so by their mother and father. Until one day the queen got very sick and soon passed away." Edward's voice cracks on his final words, and he must clear his throat to continue.

"The king, wanting to find a way to soothe his children's grief, started searching for his new queen. Right from the start, his eldest daughter hated this idea and when the king found his bride, she made her distrust known. The king's youngest however, came to love the new queen and tried to be happy despite the rift forming between her sister and her parents. Everything changed however, when the chess pieces declared war. First the king's oldest daughter ran away, we searched for her but never found her. Until some of our knights came back from the war and told us she had died in the fighting." Ginta turns toward the downtrodden dog, seeming even more determined to help the lost princess. I feel the same way, and I notice that I'm walking a little faster, suddenly eager to get to this girl as soon as possible.

"Then the queen showed us her true nature, first she asked for more jewelry, then it was more ärms, then she took the whole kingdom. She locked the king away and went after the princess, but we ran before she could catch her. We've been running ever since, but the queen's men have been gaining on us. So, the princess locked herself in a castle and used her ärm to seal herself away in ice. She told me to go find help and that she'll be waiting for me to come and save her." He slows to a stop as he finishes, and I can just make out his quiet attempt to hold back his tears. The three boys stop as well and look at me, as if I'm the most qualified person to comfort a talking dog who has been hunted down for his princess. I walk over and pick up Edward, I'm not sure how to comfort him, but I know that getting to his princess is a good place to start.

"Don't worry, we'll save her. The edge of the forest isn't far, so just lead the way." I give him a small smile, and he nods. We continue walking idly chatting as we go, but something was bugging me. I couldn't put my finger on it, but there was something… Off. I just had a feeling. Edward suddenly got very excited and was pointing to the approaching tree line. We all rushed forward, eager to see what lay ahead.


End file.
